A brief homophobia scale in medical students from two universities: Results of a refinement process

Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Herazo, Edwin; Oviedo, Heidi Celina

ABSTRACT Background:

The process of evaluating measurement scales is an ongoing procedure that requires revisions and adaptations according to the characteristics of the participants. The Homophobia Scale of seven items (EHF-7) has showed acceptable performance in medical students attending to two universities in Colombia. However, performance of some items was poor and could be removed, with an improvement in the psychometric findings of items retained.

Objective:

To review the psychometric functioning and refine the content of EHF-7 among medical students from two Colombian universities.

Methods:

A group of 667 students from the first to tenth semester participated in the research. Theirs ages were between 18 and 34 (mean, 20.9 ±2.7) years-old, and 60.6% were females. Cronbach alpha (α) and omega of McDonald (Ω) were calculated as indicators of reliability and to refine the scale, an exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed.

Results:

EHF-7 showed α = .793 and Ω = .796 and a main factor that explained 45.2% of the total variance. EFA and CFA suggested the suppression of three items. The four-item version (EHF-4) reached an α = .770 and Ω = .775, with a single factor that accounted for 59.7% of the total variance. CFA showed better indexes (x2 = 3.622; df = 1; p = 0.057; Root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .063, 90% CI, .000-.130; Comparative Fit Indices (CFI) = .998; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = .991).

Conclusions:

EHF-4 shows high internal consistency and a single dimension that explains more than 50% of the total variance. Further studies are needed to confirm these observa tions, that can be taken as preliminary.

RESUMEN Introducción:

La evaluación de escalas de medición es un proceso continuo que exige revisiones y adaptaciones según las características de los participantes. La Escala para Homofobia de siete ítems (EHF-7) ha mostrado aceptable desempeño general en estudiantes de Medicina de dos universidades en Colombia. No obstante, el desempeño de algunos ítems fue deficiente y se podría eliminar algunos con el mejoramiento en el comportamiento de los ítems conservados.

Objetivo:

Revisar el funcionamiento psicométrico y afinar el contenido de EHF-7 en estudiantes de Medicina de dos universidades colombianas.

Métodos:

Participaron 667 estudiantes de 18-34 (media, 20,9 ± 2,7) anos, de los que el 60,6% eran mujeres. Se calcularon el alfa de Cronbach (α) y el omega de McDonald (Ω) como indi cadores de confiabilidad, y para afinar la escala, se llevaron a cabo análisis de factores exploratorios (AFE) y confirmatorios (AFC).

Resultados:

EHF-7 mostró α = 0,793 y Ω = ,796, además de un factor principal que explicó el 45,2% de la varianza total. Los AFE y AFC indican eliminar tres ítems. La versión de cuatro ítems (EHF-4) alcanzó α = 0,770 y Ω = 0,775, con un único factor que dio cuenta del 59,7% de la varianza total, con AFC que mostró mejores indicadores (x2 = 3,622; gl = 1; p = 0,057; RMSEA = 0,063; IC90%, 0,000-0,130; CFI = 0,998; TLI = 0,991).

Conclusiones:

EHF-4 presenta alta consistencia interna y una dimensión que explica más del 50% de la varianza total. Es preciso realizar investigaciones que confirmen estas observa ciones aún preliminares.